TechnologyDARPA’s seeking innovative system-level technologies

DARPA’s Tactical Technology Office (TTO) focuses on developing and demonstrating innovative system-level technologies and prototypes that incorporate new and emerging technologies, all for the purpose of preserving and significantly extending U.S. military advantages over potential adversaries. DARPA says that to help accomplish these goals and inform potential performers about TTO’s technical objectives, TTO has scheduled its fourth annual Proposers Dayat DARPA’s offices in Arlington, Virginia, for Wednesday and Thursday, 20 and 21 April 2016. Those objectives will be outlined in detail in advance of the Proposers Day in an upcoming Broad Agency Announcement (BAA), which will call for executive summaries, white papers and proposals for advanced research, development and demonstration of innovative systems for military missions.

“DARPA is always on the lookout for the next revolutionary ideas that could redefine the state of the art for the capabilities, development times and cost of military systems,” said TTO Director Brad Tousley. “TTO’s annual Proposers Day offers the best opportunity to learn how to share these audacious, visionary system concepts with DARPA and take the first steps toward transforming them into reality.”

TTO seeks contributors who can apply the Office’s cross-cutting themes (agile development, cost inversion/imposition, autonomous/cooperative unmanned systems, weapons, as well as power and propulsion) to the following focus areas:

• Ground Systems: Soldier/squad technologies, combat vehicles and tactical operations in urban and complex environments
• Maritime/Undersea Systems: Expanded platform performance, cross-domain applications and defense of maritime forces
• Air Systems: Novel air vehicles, hypersonic platforms
• Space Systems: Spacecraft technologies, space situational awareness, systems for access, and future space operations

The Proposers Day will inform potential contributors about TTO’s strategy and portfolio and the best way to interface with TTO through the BAA. TTO program managers will also share insights about their specific interest areas. Attendees can schedule one-on-one sidebar meetings with DARPA program managers on either day to discuss shared interests and learn more about working with the Agency. After the event, attendees will have access to registrant contact information to facilitate dialogue among interested parties.

To maximize the pool of innovative proposal concepts, DARPA strongly encourages participation in these events and subsequent solicitations by non-traditional performers, including small businesses, academic and research institutions, and first-time government contractors.

DARPA notes that due to space limitations of the conference facility, attendance will be limited to the first 150 registrants for each day. No more than two representatives per organization (business unit) may attend, with a maximum of ten attendees from any one corporation.